BMW E36 · Blog
I’ve always been a sucker for a Nürburgring trip. I’ve lost count of how many times I have visited, but it’s in the double figures. It’s not a difficult or particularly expensive one to tick off the bucket list, either, as I often tell people who wistfully talk of ‘one day I’ll go there’! Two and a half hours from Glasgow sees me at the Newcastle ferry for a relaxed (or party-spec, depending on your mood) overnight crossing to Amsterdam.
My E36 has been getting tons of use as ever, equal to that of my alleged ‘daily’ E34. It’s typically very reliable, but there was a recent hiccup, that being a burst CV joint while hundreds of miles from home in Birmingham. A known weak spot to most owners, and yes, I have exacerbated the issue of course with a Ade’s E36 323i welded diff, lots of lowering and some harsh drift action!
Had BMW set out to create a superior mainstream hatchback from scratch, it would surely not have made such a poor fist of it as the Compact. A serious attempt at efficient packaging would have dictated a transverse engine and front-wheel drive. Back to basics, no less. Or forward to Rover. No, the Compact is the product of commercial opportunism, not mould-breaking design. In making a pig’s ear from a silk purse, BMW is guilty of regression, not advance.
It is 30-years since the iconic E36 M3 made its debut. Is it more desirable than ever in 2022, and what do the experts think prospective buyers need to know? Words: Ben Barry. Buying BMW's modern classic M car in 2022...E36 M3 AT 30 Ten years ago, Munich Legends boss Dan Norris had a tidy E36 M3 saloon parked round the back of his workshops. “It was Techno Violet with about 40k miles and in pretty good condition,” he recalls.
One of the most sensible and satisfying purchases on the market right now, says James Walshe BMW 3 Series E36 WISE BUYER James Walshe shows you how to buy BMW’s bargain 3-Series before it’s too late. There aren’t many modern classics that combine a rewarding driving experience with such exceptional usability as successfully as an E36 BMW.